Who am I?

I'm the payload engineer for SpaceLab/Mir (also called Shuttle/Mir Mission) and I work in the project management office. Project management requires interfacing with all internal groups (i.e., engineering, science, etc.), as well as external mission management groups. That means that I am one of the people who makes sure everything comes together to meet the requirements of mission management, to get hardware accepted and approved for flight, to meet the requirements of the Russians, and to maintain schedules and manifests pertaining to shipping and flight dates.

My Career Journey

I have always been a detail person. I originally worked in sales at Westinghouse in Chicago. Then I was asked if I wanted to work in the defense industry. Since I didn't really like the weather in Chicago, I decided to take the job and I moved to California. I carried an independent, self-starter attitude with me from my previous job. Although I had no idea I would be working in my current position, I think this way of thinking and working helped me evolve into project management.

Influences

I remember my physics teacher from high school for his logical way of thinking. I also remember my father for being patient and for his outlook on life -- always look at "the big picture." My first sales boss in Chicago had a mature and seasoned perspective. He always tried to give me a certain perspective in a business sense -- that life goes on and to always look ahead.

Personal Information

When I was young I used to build model cars and boats. I was a perfectionist. My room was always neat while my brother's was dirty. I liked to tinker with things and take some things apart, but not necessarily put them back together again. I liked trying to figure out how things worked and if they could be fixed. I think part of that desire came from my parents' method of dealing with broken items. If something didn't work, they would just buy another one instead of trying to fix it. It was always a challenge for me to see if I could fix things.

I was also very competitive and outdoor oriented. When I was younger I was in track and cross country, and played basketball and tennis. However, as an adult, I mountain and road bike, swim, windsurf, snowboard and travel for fun. I used to run marathons until my knees began to bother me. I play piano and have been playing guitar for about three years. I'm slowly getting better. I have a range of outside interests that help me keep a balance with my work.

Likes/Dislikes About Career

The best part of my job is when our equipment is being tested for acceptance and we have to make changes at the last minute, but are still able to work WITH our Russian counterparts and have our hardware accepted for flight. Our peer group is also our mission management counterpart. What's rewarding is when a problem comes up, we know the answer, and that others respect us enough to expect that we will get the answer.

What's frustrating is trying to interact with a broad range of groups that have different wants, needs and levels of ability. The hard part is trying to extract certain levels of performance from each of those groups. We need people to perform well.

Another frustration is trying to keep up with changing hardware and science requirements. There's not much time to make the changes and they can happen at any time. We can have something ready to go and someone may say they want to change something. It can be very frustrating.

Advice

I would tell high school students to try to get summer jobs or internships to see what a certain field is about. Also, try to help college professors with their work during the summer.

There are times I do not want to direct others and I just want to sit in front of my computer and work. But that's part of the job. I have to be a decision-maker and lead others. But some people are better off doing things by themselves than with a group.

I would advise getting involved with recreational or educational activities for groups, such as the Boy Scouts, debate club, or a team sport, and compare that with the feeling you get from individual activities like computers, tennis, or swimming. This can help you decide if you would like working in a team, like I do, or by yourself.